Gasoline Disappears In Markets, Ministry Doubles Pumping

Extra pumping of diesel and petrol in Sana’a and some provinces isn’t meeting the people’s needs. The quantities disappear within hours after pumping begins in gas stations.

Sana’a and some other Yemeni provinces suffer from a fabricated crisis in oil derivatives. This crisis affects all segments of society and businesses where children and women are seen at gas stations trying to get some liters of gasoline.

Recently, Yemeni Petroleum Company announced that large amounts of petrol were being distributed in Sana’a after the opening of roads between Marib and Sana’a. A statement issued by the company explained that large amounts of benzene loaded on tankers arrived to Sana’a from the Marib refinery and from Hodeida in quantities of more than 2.5 million liters, which represents 200% of the needs of Sana’a.

The general director of Yemen Petroleum Company, Dr. Mansour al-Betani, said that a number of stations in Sana’a were closed until the quantities distributed follow the same price and transparency regulations in the distribution of quantities to citizens.

Al-Betani said that the crisis escalated suddenly as a realistic reflection of the growing seasonal demand that resulted from the scarcity of financial resources as well as the failure of relevant authorities in the reduction of the black market and the practices of crises traders.

Al-Betani denied that the company is determined to raise the prices of oil, as some newspapers and websites have suggested, stressing that the price of a liter of oil or diesel is still as it is with no change.